As a kid, Dover Books was just about my favorite publisher, bringing out fine reprints of sheet music, fairy tales, art and all sorts of other goodies (yeah that’s the kind of kid I was.) And they’re still around and now bringing back long OOP graphic novels in a new line. Publishers Weekly had all the details a few weeks ago but th eline will basically bring back some books that have fallen through th ecracks in the last 20-30 years, many with new foreward and new materials. Dover editor Drew Ford is the mastermind behind the plan, and the line is now available for preorder on Amazon, with the first six books due in April and another six in the fall. Here’s the line-up and some commentary:

Mind-bending masterpiece by Eisner Award–winning writer known for his work on The Amazing Spider-Man, Captain America, andJustice League of America — includes new Introduction by the writer and bonus “How It Was Made” material

Originally published by Vertigo, I believe this started out as part of the creator Own Disney Comics graphic novel line. (!)

Hard-hitting tale of vengeance by illustrator of Batman: Orpheus Rising — first time collected in a single volume. Includes new Foreword by Joe Illidge, new Afterword by David Colley, and new cover by Scott Hanna

Cult classic by the writer of Iron Man & penciler of The New Mutants with new Foreword and pin-up by Brandon Graham and new Introduction by the creators — includes entire six-issue run

Another one from the vaults of Epic Comics…and there are some pretty good things in those vaults.

The Puma Blues(September 2015) Written by Stephen Murphy, illustrated by Michael Zulli

Features new Foreword by Dave Sim, new Afterword by Stephen R. Bissette, and new Introduction by the authors: “Intelligent and urgent mythology.” — Neil Gaiman

Talk about a lost classic. This books was originally part of Aardvark Vanaheim’s short lived creator owned line, and features incredible art by Zulli and a strange, powerful post apocalyptic story by Murphy.

ASYLUM
by William Seabrook, with cover and intro by award-winning graphic novelist Joe Ollmann, is also available for pre-order:
http://www.amazon.com/Asylum-William-Seabrook/dp/0486798100/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417443005&sr=1-1&keywords=asylum+dover

This dramatic memoir recaptures the author’s experiences during an eight-month stay at a Westchester mental hospital in the early 1930s. Written by a renowned journalist who was voluntarily committed for acute alcoholism, it offers an honest, self-critical look at addiction and treatment in the days before Alcoholics Anonymous and other modern programs.

I never even heard of this book, but I’m in.

This is a very cool diverse line, and I’ve corresponded with Ford a bit and let’s just say there are some real surprises on the way.

Ford passed along word of some other Dover reprint books that might be of interest:

TEN NIGHTS DREAMING, the book by acclaimed author Natsume Soseki that is said to have been the starting point for fantasy in Modern Japanese literature, is now available again with a new English translation.

Finally here’s a peek at the all-now story by Glanzman for A Sailor’s Tale:

Heidi MacDonald is the founder and editor in chief of The Beat. In the past, she worked for Disney, DC Comics, Fox and Publishers Weekly. She can be heard regularly on the More To Come Podcast. She likes coffee, cats and noble struggle.

Comments

Though I’m making my own custom bind of it because i want it in hardcover, I’m delighted to see Puma Blues on this list. It’s a great, neglected book.
Overall, this is a very strong solicitation list. Not a clunker in the bunch by my lights.
Other titles they might consider: Tales From the Heart, Aztec Ace, a collection of Trina Robbins’ adaptation of Sax Rohmer’s DOPE, serialized in Eclipse Magazine and concluded in the anthology comic, and the offbeat Charlton Western backup series by Denny O’Neil and Dick Giordano, Wander!

Thank you so much for your kind words of support. Just so you know, this new Puma Blues collection will be complete, including the hard to find Puma Blues mini-comic…not to mention there will finally be an ending (which, of course, will be brand new, as it is being worked on by Stephen Murphy and Michael Zulli as we speak). Lastly, this new edition will be wrapped in a hard cover with a dust jacket. Hope ya like it! :)

Not only was “A Sailor’s Story” an original NON-FICTION graphic album from Marvel, it was pubished in HARDCOVER.

As I recall, there were two volumes, and follow-up stories (his last work) in the last Joe Kubert anthology from DC Comics.

Tales From The Heart is problematic… I hear Cindy Goff has no interest in reprinting the title.

As for Dover, they have reprinted comics in the past, most public domain items, like Winsor McCay, Annie, and Ward. They have also started a line of comics classics.

Suggested titiles:
Moonshadow. (Has anyone collected the final chapter published by Vertigo?)
DC Science Fiction Graphic Novel series (seven stories, with a stellar list of contributors!)
Rudy, by William Overgard (collected into a single volume, but I’d love to see a complete strip collection!)